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The E-Newsbrief of the National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training is a free weekly newsletter focusing on new developments in the world of worker health and safety.
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The Department of Labor (DOL) announced the start of National Apprenticeship Week, an annual event that showcases the ways Registered Apprenticeship improves career pathways and expands U.S. workers’ access to good-paying jobs across industries. Throughout the week of November 17-23, Registered Apprenticeship system partners are hosting events across the country highlighting examples of partnership and collaboration across the national system. In its 10th year, National Apprenticeship Week will include over 1,300 apprenticeship events across all 50 states and U.S. territories.
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The primary focus of international climate negotiations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, is how to pay for the costs of cutting global climate pollution and adapt to the impacts of extreme weather. Several new analyses, scientific studies, and international reports suggest the goal of keeping warming to below 1.5 C is becoming less and less achievable. This is due to countries delaying, walking back, or failing to implement ambitious efforts to cut fossil fuel emissions. It's likely the planet is quickly approaching 1.5 C of warming, but there are real open questions about when that will happen and how to measure it.
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A strain of mpox disease that had previously been undetected in the U.S. has been found in California, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). California's health department confirmed the case through lab testing. The patient contracted it after traveling from East Africa, where there has been an outbreak of the clade I strain, which is typically more deadly and severe than the clade II strain of mpox. CDC says the strain presents a low risk to the public. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.
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After bird flu is detected on dairy farms, collaboration between public health agencies and the impacted farm, as well as early distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), may help protect farmworkers from the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), workers on dairy farms face a transmission risk when exposed to cows infected with bird flu. They’re also at risk if exposed to raw milk from acutely infected cows during an outbreak. CDC recommends that workers on dairy farms wear fluid-resistant coveralls, a particulate respirator, goggles, a head or hair cover, gloves, boots or boot covers, and an optional face shield and waterproof apron.
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U.S. drug overdose deaths are plummeting, putting the country on pace for its first year with fewer than 100,000 overdose deaths since 2020. During the 12-month period ending in June, reported drug deaths fell nearly 17%, from 111,615 lives lost in 2023to 93,087 deaths in 2024, according to new statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fentanyl, the potent illicit opioid that now dominates the U.S. illicit drug supply, contributed to a large majority of deaths.
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A team of researchers from Colorado State University (CSU) is recruiting 100 active male wildland firefighters for a two-year study of the reproductive health effects of wildfire smoke. An assistant professor at CSU previously found a link between wildfire smoke exposure and altered sperm in mice. For the new study, the researchers will examine semen samples taken from participants before, during, and after the wildfire season to look at sperm count, motility, and evidence of epigenetic changes. In addition, the team plans to produce targeted messaging on reproductive health for workers in the wildland firefighting field.
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Measles vaccination coverage globally has still not recovered to pre-COVID levels, a fact that contributed to a 20% increase in measles cases in 2023. The backsliding of vaccination coverage during the pandemic is hindering efforts to eliminate measles globally, and subjecting children, generally children under the age of five, to a health threat that can be fatal in some cases or trigger lifelong consequences, such as deafness, in others.
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The Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau is hosting an engaging webinar with five actionable steps to prevent Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH) in the world of work. In this session, participants will hear from several expert speakers that will share practical strategies to combat GBVH. The discussion will focus on real-world solutions that empower individuals to take meaningful action against this pervasive issue. The session will also highlight the importance of survivor-centered workplace policies, partnerships, and supportive services. It will take place December 5, 2024, 3:00-3:45 p.m. ET.
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Chemicals play a vital role in the U.S. economy, but some chemicals pose an environmental, health, and/or safety risk during their life cycles. Whether you call them hazardous chemicals, hazardous materials, hazardous wastes, or hazardous substances, these chemicals are often regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Department of Transportation (DOT), or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This webinar explores these four major sets of regulations to help you better navigate the basics of chemical compliance. It will take place December 12, 2024, Noon-1 p.m. CT.
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Idea submissions are now open for the 2025 National Brownfields Training Conference. They are looking for ideas that will facilitate dynamic educational sessions that encourage conversation and participation from fellow attendees. A great session will motivate brownfields stakeholders to engage, learn, and share their experiences and knowledge of community revitalization challenges and solutions. The call for ideas will close December 20, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The conference will take place in Chicago, Illinois, August 5-8, 2025.
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In the wake of Hurricane Helene flooding areas of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, a new research study hopes to not only determine what causes flash flooding in the mountainous areas of Appalachia, but how to prepare residents for coming disasters. The four-year project will look at flash flooding in the small headwater streams in Appalachia. The study will bring together researchers from five universities who will use sensors in streams and data from the Robinson Forest – a teaching, research, and extension forest – to identify specific issues related to flash floods. The data will help them dig deeper into the temperatures, precipitation, and weather conditions prior to flooding events which can lead to a better understanding of flooding scenarios.
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Long COVID can cause substantial economic loss and missed days of work, and it can strike women more often than men, possibly because women have increased expression of an RNA gene implicated in autoimmunity, according to two new studies. Long COVID has been known to significantly diminish quality of life, increase disability, and result in economic loss in workdays lost to illness. Men may be more prone to severe symptoms of COVID-19 in the acute phase, but women are more likely to report long COVID. The authors said these findings could guide future research and help tailor long-COVID assessments and treatments.
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speeds of Atlantic hurricanes were an average of 19 mph higher because of human-caused ocean warming. A parallel report by Climate Central applied the techniques developed in the previous study to the 2024 hurricane season and found that
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As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring opened applications for communities across the U.S. to monitor and evaluate factors influencing local heat risk. Selected communities will receive $10,000 and technical support to collect heat distribution data through community-led campaigns. The center will build on the research developed over eight years of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-supported urban heat island mapping campaigns. Past campaigns have informed local cooling solutions, decision-making, advocacy, and education around heat resilience in more than 80 communities.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has delivered bold and concrete actions to protect people from PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in their water and everyday lives while dramatically increasing investments in research and solutions for PFAS pollution. PFAS are an urgent threat to public health and the environment, and communities across the nation are discovering these chemicals in their air, land, and water. EPA will continue to move with urgency to develop the science and research related to PFAS; partner with states, Tribes, and local leaders to implement funding and solutions; and set and update strong standards to ensure all Americans are safe from potential contamination.
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is supporting the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health as it initiates the inaugural fellowship for Policy Experience in Equity Climate and Health (PEECH). The fellowship is a full-time program designed to educate and train doctors to address climate and health inequities through advocacy and policy. PEECH also enables physicians from hardly reached communities to gain policy experience by connecting them with federal agencies.
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Healthcare personnel are exposed to a variety of respiratory hazards on the job. Depending on the hazard, different types of respiratory protection may be appropriate. This new fact sheet from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) provides industry-specific respirator selection and use information for employers and respiratory protection program managers in healthcare to help minimize the number of healthcare personnel exposed to harmful contaminants.
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The Federal Highway Administration announced the award of $1.2 billion to 39 State Departments of Transportation under the Low Carbon Transportation Materials Discretionary Grant Program. The investments will support continued growth in clean American manufacturing, boosting the competitiveness of clean U.S. industries and the creation of good manufacturing jobs while reducing pollution from the production of concrete, steel, and other bedrock materials of our economy. Under the Low Carbon Transportation Materials program, State Departments of Transportation can establish new processes to implement and use low-carbon materials on Federal-aid construction projects.
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The Department of Energy (DOE) released “The National Blueprint for a Clean & Competitive Industrial Sector.” Building on ongoing industrial investments across Federal agencies, the Blueprint outlines five whole-of-government strategies within a private sector-led and government-enabled framework to fuel continued growth of American manufacturing. The American manufacturing sector is a foundational part of the U.S. economy, contributing 12% to the U.S. gross domestic product annually, catalyzing innovation, directly supporting dozens of other economic sectors, and employing millions of workers. At the same time, the manufacturing sector is energy intensive and accounts for approximately 20%of total annual domestic greenhouse gas emissions.
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The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) has launched the Environmental Justice Data Action Portal (EJ DAP). The portal was announced at a press conference where attendees received a live demonstration of the portal’s features and capabilities. Designed to empower communities and policymakers alike, the EJ DAP is an innovative tool providing access to critical environmental and social justice data through an intuitive, interactive platform. The EJ DAP combines extensive datasets on pollution, toxic chemicals, health outcomes, and demographic information, creating a user-friendly and accessible hub of vital information for communities impacted by environmental burdens.
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This position is in the Department of Labor (DOL), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Directorate of Administrative Programs (DAP). The director of administrative programs will be responsible for providing executive leadership and direction in the formulation, development, and execution of assigned OSHA-related program functions; developing goals and objectives that integrate organization, resource management, and financial management objectives; and participating in establishing, revising, and updating agency policy and plans for the accomplishment of OSHA administrative programs, among other tasks.
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